Anderson’s return pushed to February

MINNEAPOLIS — The Spurs departed on another road trip Monday afternoon, and rookie guard James Anderson waved goodbye to his teammates and headed back to the swimming pool at the team’s practice facility.

Still recovering from a stress fracture of the right fifth metatarsal, Anderson’s return has been pushed back from mid-January to early February strictly out of caution. The fracture in the bone on the outside of Anderson’s foot was discovered Nov. 11.

“He’s coming along, slowly but surely,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We’re really taking our time. It’s one of those things where, if we make a mistake and he goes out there too early, you can possibly lose him for the season.”

Anderson understands the caution. He suffered a similar injury to his left foot during his high school career and is grateful he took it slowly with that injury, as well.

“I’m just doing whatever they tell me to do,” he said. “I don’t want to rush it. I had this before, and it turned out fine, and I came back stronger. I’m just listening to everything they say.”

Anderson applies himself to the recovery regimen and fights boredom.

“It’s boring, but at the same time, I’m getting to put in a lot of work that will make me a stronger player and a better shooter,” he said. “I’m just taking it as it comes, one day at a time.

“I work with two of the basketball interns. I do pool work, swimming laps and doing different foot skills in the pool. I lift four times a week and ride the bike and run on the treadmill. This week, I’ll start my conditioning back on the court, wind sprints and getting up a lot of shots.”

Tonight, Anderson will scream at the television as he watches the Spurs take on the Timberwolves at the Target Center.

“I feel like I’m still there, even when I’m away,” he said.

No hesitation: Guard George Hill has made only nine of 33 shots in the past three games but remains confident his perimeter accuracy will return as long as he keeps firing away.

“The shots feel good,” he said. “They’re just not going in. Only thing I can do is not shy away and keep putting them up there. They’ll fall sooner or later. I’ve got to talk to the basketball gods a little bit more, I guess.”

A solid perimeter defender who has played the bulk of the past two fourth quarters in tight games, Hill has tried to find other ways to be productive at the offensive end.

“If you’re not making shots, you’ve got to do something else to help your team,” he said. “Maybe it’s driving, try to get to the free-throw line as much as possible, or drive and try to set the other guys up.

“I can’t worry about it. Make some, miss some. Only thing I can do is keep taking them.”